


Touching

by greenbloodedcomputer



Series: B-4 [5]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24496303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenbloodedcomputer/pseuds/greenbloodedcomputer
Summary: B-4 learns about physical affection.
Series: B-4 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769731
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	Touching

**Author's Note:**

  * For [datalaur](https://archiveofourown.org/users/datalaur/gifts).



> This is part of a series of fics written about B-4. These canon-divergent stories depict B-4 after he has been rebuilt by a resurrected Data following the events of Star Trek: Nemesis.
> 
> This fic was based off the prompt: Maybe B asks why people do not touch his skin like he sees other people touch. Bruce realizes B would like physical affection so that he and his staff will have to make an effort to appropriately provide that.

Bruce noticed a stark difference between B-4 and Data. While Data seemed to pay no mind to the things that were not necessary, B seemed fascinated by anything frivolous. Data’s personal logs had mentioned his need to justify certain behavioral changes in order to adapt them. Manners. Common vernacular. Even clothing, at first. Just the opposite, B-4 craved to be included in what everyone else was doing. This was perplexing - nothing Bruce had added to his coding would influence that - but it persisted on a daily basis. ****

B-4 spent a lot of his time observing. He had many questions, which was to be expected, and he had no problem following Bruce around and blurting them out. “Why do people chirp?” Many of his questions were like this - the wrong words for the wrong situation. “Like this-” He pulled his lips tight against his teeth, opened his mouth, and barked out a harsh, high-pitched sound.

“That’s laughing, B,” Bruce explained. “Humans do that involuntarily when they consider something amusing.” 

Questions like this resounded day after day. Often, he would ask why he was unable to do the things he was witnessing. Bruce would tell him he still had to learn or that is just wasn’t something androids did.

“You don’t need to drink liquid, B-4.

“You don’t have to use the bathroom like humans do.

“Your hair doesn’t grow, so you won’t ever need a haircut.

“You don’t get cold, so you don’t need a coat, B.”

One day while they were sat together on a bench out front of the Institute, B-4 pointed at a couple walking by. Bruce didn’t notice at first. His nose was two inches from a PADD that he was scrolling through furiously. “They are touching,” B said. 

“Mhm.” Bruce didn’t look up from his files.

B-4 observed them for a moment longer, then he turned and gently ran a finger down Bruce’s face. This was enough to pull him from his work and look at the android who stared at him with wide yellow eyes. 

“I have observed people touching,” B-4 explained. “They touch hands. They touch mouths. Why?”

Bruce put the PADD down on the bench beside him and sighed. “People touch because it feels good,” he said as he waved a hand. “It makes people feel happy. Comfortable. Safe. Depending on where you touch, the touch itself can feel nice. It means they are close.”

B-4 cocked his head to the side. “Close?” 

“Emotionally, not in proximity. They are familiar. Intimate.”

“Intimate?”

“Their neural pathways are familiar with one another’s sensory input patterns.”

“Oh.”

Bruce watched the couple as they walked away from the bench. Two young ladies holding hands and laughing. B-4’s gaze followed and he observed in silence. One of the women pulled the other closer around the waist. Under his breath, B-4 tried out a laugh but shook his head when it sounded all wrong.

He turned to Bruce suddenly. “My mental pathways have become accustomed to your sensory input,” he said. He turned his hand over so his palm was facing up between them. “Please touch.” 

Bruce couldn’t help but laugh. He put his hand over B-4’s and held it tightly. “Okay, how’s that?” he asked. 

B-4 nodded. “I will anticipate this sensation.” 

“Anticipate?” 

B-4 thought about it for a moment and nodded again. “I will anticipate this input. Touch.”

“You mean you like it? It makes you feel better?” 

“Yes.” 

Bruce smiled. “You want to be like those other people? You want to touch more?”

“Yes.”

He removed his hand and placed it gently on B’s head. Then he wrapped an arm around the android’s shoulder and squeezed tightly. “This is a hug,” he said. “Would you like more hugs?” B-4 nodded. _Fascinating,_ he thought. It would seem B-4 was developing more complex neural pathways. He was progressing much faster than they had ever imagined he would. “Then we’ll have to do that.”


End file.
